Dominic Cummings served as chief adviser to prime minister Boris Johnson from July 2019 to November 2020.

A prominent political strategist and analyst, Cummings rose to national prominence as campaign director of Vote Leave from 2015 to 2016. He previously served as a special adviser to Michael Gove from 2007 to 2014.

What is Dominic Cummings doing now?

Cummings continues to publish articles and commentary on his blog, which is hosted on Substack.

In late 2024, Cummings met with the leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, to discuss “the core problems that we have: a broken Whitehall, a disgraceful and shattered Tory party clogging up the party system, how to shake it all up most effectively. And how to bring some of the great people in this country now excluded from government into it to replace the shitshow we all have to live with every day.”

Reporting on the meeting said Cummings had abandoned plans to launch a new party. At the time, Cummings told the Guardian that he might spend “more time on SW1 depending how things play out”, but added: “I do not want a job there. My efforts will only be helping people of any party pushing in what I consider a good direction, I’m happy living away from SW1 and SW1 for sure feels the same about me.”

In a Substack post, published on 11 August 2023, Cummings spoke of building a new party known as “The Startup Party” (TSP). He said the original Vote Leave plan to transform the Conservative Party was “kaput” and described Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition, as a “dud”.

Cummings wrote that the TSP “must be ‘programmed’ for different ends, ways and means to the old parties.”

He added: “The only point of TSP and the only way it could win is for A) an obviously different set of people B) to offer obviously different ideas and C) behave obviously differently. And have a communication machine tell a compelling story effectively.”

Cummings said the new party would be “tougher on crime, security than Tories”, more “pro-growth and productivity and technology than either party”, and care “about things like pandemic preparation, how to regulate AI, what are the new versions of GCHQ and the SAS/SBS.”

Cummings established a tech consultancy firm called Siwah Ltd in 2021. The name alludes to an Egyptian desert oasis where Alexander III of Macedon led an army in the 4th century BC.

Adviser to Boris Johnson (2019-2020)

On 24 July 2019, Cummings was appointed as a senior adviser to prime minister Boris Johnson.

The appointment was the subject of some controversy, owing to Cummings’ role in the Vote Leave campaign. Sarah Wollaston, a former Conservative MP who quit the party over Brexit, said the appointment represented “an appalling error of judgment to appoint someone who has been in contempt of parliament”.

Cummings was seen as Johnson’s de facto chief of staff during his tenure in Downing Street.

Contemporary reporting pointed to Cummings as a crucial force in the government’s decision to advise Queen Elizabeth II to prorogue parliament in August 2019, at the height of the parliamentary impasse of Brexit. In response, the supreme court unanimously ruled that Johnson’s advice to the queen was unlawful. Nigel Farage, then the leader of the Brexit Party, called prorogation “the worst political decision ever” and called on Johnson to fire Cummings.

In late August 2019, Cummings dismissed Sonia Khan, a Treasury special adviser, without informing the chancellor. Khan was reportedly escorted from No 10 by a police officer after being accused of misleading Cummings over her contact with individuals close to Philip Hammond, who served as chancellor from 2016 to 2019.

On 2 January 2020, Cummings published a lengthy blog post calling for “weirdos and misfits with odd skills” to apply for jobs in 10 Downing Street. In the post, which ran to nearly 3,000 words, Cummings wrote that he wanted to bring in “super-talented weirdos” with “genuine cognitive diversity”. He advertised for data scientists, software developers, economists and policy experts, alongside those he termed “true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought their way out of an appalling hell hole”.

Cummings declared: “We want to hire an unusual set of people with different skills and backgrounds to work in Downing Street with the best officials, some as spads [special advisers] and perhaps some as officials. 

“If you are already an official and you read this blog and think you fit one of these categories, get in touch.”

In February 2020, Johnson’s first major cabinet reshuffle since the 2019 general election resulted in the resignation of Sajid Javid as chancellor. Javid had been ordered to dismiss his entire team of special advisers and replace them with ones selected by 10 Downing Street. The ultimatum was widely seen as an attempt by Cummings to diminish the Treasury’s traditional independence and political influence. Following his departure, Javid said the conditions were something “I don’t believe any self-respecting minister would accept and so I felt I was left with no option other than to resign.”

In May 2020, reports emerged revealing that in late March, Cummings – while his wife had Covid-19 symptoms – had driven 260 miles from London to his parents’ farm near Durham with his family. During their stay, he also made a 60-mile round trip to the town of Barnard Castle, which he claimed was to test his eyesight before the long drive back to London. These journeys were in apparent breach of the government’s own strict ‘stay at home’ guidance. Boris Johnson, however, stood by his adviser. This prompted a fierce political backlash – with widespread anger that there appeared to be one rule for senior government figures and another for the public.

Steve Baker, the chair of the influential European Research Group (ERG) of eurosceptic Conservative MPs, said: “The country can’t afford this nonsense, this pantomime, Dominic should go and we should move on and deal with things that matter in people’s lives.”

Jeremy Hunt, the former cabinet minister, claimed that Cummings had breached the lockdown rules on three occasions: upon returning to work after he spent time with his wife when she was ill, and in visiting both Durham and Barnard Castle.

On 25 May 2020, Cummings held an extraordinary press conference in the Downing Street rose garden to defend his actions. During the press conference, Cummings offered no apology and insisted he had acted “reasonably and legally”. He argued that there was “no regulation covering the situation I found myself in”.

Cummings said: “I don’t regret what I did… I think what I did was actually reasonable in these circumstances. The rules made clear that if you are dealing with small children that can be exceptional circumstances.” 

He added: “I don’t think I’m so different, and I don’t think there’s one rule for me and one rule for other people… there is no regulation covering the situation I found myself in.”

Cummings ultimately departed Downing Street in November 2020 – the culmination of a protracted power struggle between him and other members of the prime minister’s inner circle, including the prime minister’s then-fiancée, Carrie Symonds. Cummings was famously photographed leaving through the front door of Downing Street carrying a cardboard box.

Cummings emerged as a severe critic of Johnson in the months that followed.

On 26 May 2021, Cummings appeared before the House of Commons health and science select committees for a seven-hour oral evidence session. He told MPs the government had failed the public during the pandemic. “Tens of thousands of people died who didn’t need to die”, he stated.

Cummings described Johnson as a “shopping trolley”, smashing from one side of the aisle to the other. He also alleged that in October 2020, Johnson had expressed a preference to “let the bodies pile high in their thousands” rather than order a second lockdown. Downing Street denied the quote.

Cummings proved an influential force during the Partygate scandal concerning lockdown gatherings, which broke in late 2021.

On 18 January 2022, Cummings alleged that the prime minister knew in advance about the “bring-your-own-booze” gathering on 20 May 2020 and agreed that it could go ahead. The comment came after reporting by ITV News unearthed a leaked email sent by the prime minister’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, on 20 May 2020. The email invited more than 100 Downing Street staff to “make the most of the lovely weather” with socially distanced drinks. In a post to his Substack, Cummings said he would “swear under oath” that he raised concerns about the gathering.

Cummings wrote on his Substack: “Amid discussion over the future of the cabinet secretary and PPS himself, which had been going on for days, I said to the PM something like: ‘Martin’s invited the building to a drinks party, this is what I’m talking about, you’ve got to grip this madhouse.’

“The PM waved it aside.”

He added: “The events of 20 May alone, never mind the string of other events, mean the PM lied to parliament about parties.”

One month later in February 2022, Cummings responded to the resignation of four of Johnson’s most senior Downing Street aides, including Munira Mirza, the head of the No 10 Policy Unit. Cummings argued that Mirza’s departure was “an unmistakable signal the bunker is collapsing and this PM is finished”.

In June 2022, after Chris Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip following allegations that he had drunkenly groped two men at the Carlton Club in London, Cummings claimed Johnson had once said “Pincher by name, pincher by nature” in reference to the loyalist MP. The “Pincher affair” scandal culminated in the explosive revelation from Lord (Simon) McDonald, the former top civil servant in the Foreign Office, that Johnson had been personally briefed on a formal complaint against Pincher in the past, during his time as a Foreign Office minister, directly contradicting No 10’s claims. 

The wave of resignations that followed, totalling over 60, forced Johnson to announce his own departure on 7 July, against his obstinate wish to remain in office.

In November 2025, the Covid inquiry criticised the “toxic and chaotic” culture in Downing Street during the pandemic. The 880-page report singled out Cummings as a “destabilising influence”, saying he “strayed far from the proper role” of an adviser.

Director of Vote Leave (2015-2016)

Cummings became campaign director of Vote Leave in October 2015.

The Vote Leave campaign, fronted by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, organised its strategy around the slogan “Take Back Control” – arguing that leaving the EU was a chance to restore parliamentary sovereignty and curb immigration. This strategy, masterminded by Cummings, capitalised on the loss aversion of the electorate.

Arguably, Vote Leave’s most potent visual weapon was a red battle bus emblazoned with the slogan: “We send the EU £350 million a week – let’s fund our NHS instead.” While independent authorities rubbished the accuracy of this £350 million figure, the messaging effectively linked the abstract notion of sovereignty to public service funding. It also kept the figure at the centre of public debate despite disputes over its precise size.

Vote Leave also capitalised on anti-immigration sentiment by explicitly leaning into the prospect of Turkey joining the European Union. Campaign leaflets claimed that “Turkey (population 76 million) is joining the EU. Vote Leave, take back control.”

The anti-establishment, more vibes-based tenor of the pro-Brexit campaign was encapsulated in a memorable intervention by Gove, who remarked in an interview with Sky News that “people in this country have had enough of experts”.

But behind the scenes, Vote Leave pioneered a highly sophisticated, data-driven campaign strategy. Under Cummings’ direction, Vote Leave spent a reported £2.7 million of its £7 million budget on the services of a Canadian digital marketing firm, Aggregate IQ. “We couldn’t have done it without them”, Cummings later said of Aggregate IQ.

Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, was technically segregated from the official Vote Leave campaign. But Ukip nonetheless played a significant role in the referendum campaign, as a pro-Leave outrider that could appeal to voters with messaging Cummings was reluctant to embrace. Ukip’s “Breaking Point” poster, which depicted Syrian refugees near the Croatia-Slovenia border in 2015, drew condemnation from both the official Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave campaigns.

Britain, in the end, backed Brexit. On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union (EU) by 51.9% to 48.1%.

Dominic Cummings: rise to prominence (1999-2016)

Cummings worked as campaign director at Business for Sterling from 1999 to 2002, which opposed the UK’s adoption of the euro.

Cummings was head-hunted by Iain Duncan Smith, elected Conservative leader in 2001, from the anti-euro pressure group. He became director of strategy for Duncan Smith in 2002, but left the role after eight months. Cummings, 30, was regarded as one of the “modernisers” within Conservative central office. He reportedly offended Tory traditionalists by suggesting the Conservatives should not attempt to lead the campaign against the euro.

Cummings told the Independent at the time: “The biggest potential threat to the pound’s survival is the Conservative Party. For many people just about the only thing less popular than the euro is the Tory Party”.

Upon resigning, Cummings said in a brief statement: “I am leaving to do other things outside politics. There have been lots of good developments over the last eight months and I wish Iain and the party well for the future.”

A Conservative spokesman said: “Dominic Cummings has decided to leave Conservative Central Office. He has new projects that he wants to pursue. He has made a valuable contribution at Central Office, helping Iain Duncan Smith shape the post-election Conservative strategy.”

In December 2003, Cummings co-founded the New Frontiers Foundation, a free-market and eurosceptic think tank. The foundation closed in March 2005.

Cummings was a key figure in the campaign against a North East regional assembly in 2004. The successful ‘No’ campaign, North East Says No (Nesno), was led by local businessman John Elliott. Its strategic direction, however, was heavily influenced by Cummings, who served as Nesno’s campaign director.

Nesno questioned the cost, power and necessity of the proposed institution. Its core arguments centred on the fact that the assembly would have limited real powers, arguing that it would be an expensive “white elephant” and disproportionately centralised around Newcastle upon Tyne. Nesno even commissioned a huge white elephant, which was then toured around the North East during the campaign.

Cummings, the County Durham native and sometimes sightseer, coined the Nesno campaign slogan: “Politicians talk, we pay.” This phrase, emblazoned across fake £50 notes, formed the centrepiece of a Nesno political broadcast.

The Nesno campaign pitted the public against the political establishment. Its populist messaging would later be associated with the successful Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.

Cummings himself later described the 2004 victory as starting “60-40 behind with no money, no digital campaign, no ground campaign, every force in the North East hostile, and with the campaign consisting of not much more than my girlfriend, dad, uncle and literally a handful of people. I think we spent ~£50-100k. We won 80-20.”

Cummings wrote: “These guys didn’t learn from the 2004 referendum before 2016 and even now very few seem to realise that a ‘second referendum’ would, given minimal competence from ‘Leave’, be a mega-repeat of 2004 in which ‘the EU’ would not even be the main issue.”

He added: “[The 2004 campaign] was a training exercise that turned out surprisingly well.”

From February 2011 to January 2014, Cummings served as special adviser and chief of staff to Michael Gove at the Department for Education. He previously advised Gove during opposition (since 2007).

As education secretary, Gove was widely regarded as one of the coalition’s most proficient and energetic ministers. He oversaw a programme of school reforms that was lauded by ministers as transformative. Gove’s tenure as education secretary was nonetheless marked by conflict with teaching unions. The education secretary was accused of taking a deliberately confrontational stance in his struggles with “The Blob” – the name he and Cummings gave to the educational establishment.

David Cameron, the prime minister, sensed the influence of Cummings when he attempted to demote Gove in a tense 2014 cabinet reshuffle. Gove initially accepted his appointment as chief whip, a backroom party-management position, before appearing to resist the reshuffle. At the time, Cummings accused the prime minister of surrendering to the education establishment. “We got away with subverting every [Whitehall and] No 10 process, & it took [Cameron] 4 yrs to surrender”, he blogged.

Publicly, both Gove and Cameron dismissed suggestions that the former’s removal as education secretary was a demotion. But it was plain that the former had, at least, mixed emotions over the move. He told the BBC that it was a “wrench” to leave his education post but whether you called it “demotion, emotion, locomotion” it was “exciting to be given a role at the heart of government”.

Early life and background

Cummings was born on 25 November 1971. He studied ancient and modern history at Exeter College, Oxford, graduating in 1994.

Cummings lived in Russia from 1994 until 1997.

Personal life

Cummings married Mary Wakefield in December 2011. They have one child.

Trivia

Cummings was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the 2019 Channel 4 drama Brexit: The Uncivil War.